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When The Heritage of When The Heritage of Chinese Puppetry Chinese Puppetry Meets The FutureMeets The Future

by Simon Wong

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Puppetry in 2000 years beforePuppetry in 2000 years beforeIn 1978, in Laixi County, Qingdao City of Shangdong Province, a 193-centimeters tall movable puppets has been found. It has moving joints. The figure can sit, kneel, or stand. It even has small holes. Beside it was placed, a piece of 115 centimeter-long silver thread was found.

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How Puppet BeginsHow Puppet Begins

A terra-cotta soldiers of Qin Dynasty (221 - 210 BC.)

real humans burial ceremony was very prevalent in 770-476 BC.

figures

terra-cotta

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Puppetry starts from funeral and weddingPuppetry starts from funeral and wedding

A book named Xu Han Shu (6th Century) said,

“Puppet had become popular at both wedding and funeral ceremoniesat Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD)”

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Anecdotes about Spirits and Immortals (Anecdotes about Spirits and Immortals (SouSou shenshen jiji))

witch craft is shadow puppet and which had its early beginnings

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Emperor Han Wudi (140 - 101 BC) missed his consort, Lady Li, called Shaoweng exquisitely crafted Li’s silhouette

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Punch in China (Baldheaded Punch in China (Baldheaded GuoGuo))

Baldheaded Guo lived in 6th century

a famous comedy actor was imitated by the puppeteers after he died

the first Mr. Punch in the world

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Sui and Tang Sui and Tang Dynasty(ADDynasty(AD 618618––907) 907)

ShadowIt still served for a religious purpose such as in Buddhist and Taoist preaching

Many new puppet styles

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Afterward, shadow puppet was used to perform some folk and history tales to attract audiences in temples.

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The well-developed handcraft industry and economical prosperity in the North Song Dynasty (AD 960-1127) provided a solid basis for the development of the performing arts in China.

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the art of puppet and shadow developed into a mature and flourishing industry.

many popular styles such as water puppet, organ puppet, gunpowder puppet, string puppet and shadow.

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“Opera puppet” and “Opera shadow” were enjoying high reputation in Northern Song (AD 1127-1279), when Northern Song Emperors relocated their capital to Jinling (Nanjing) from Kaifeng.

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The soldiers of the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1271-1368), who were very fond of the puppet art form and especially the shadow which helped spread, wherever they were stationed, this spectacular form of art entertainment all over China.

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moved to Beijing in the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (AD 1644-1911)

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Chinese theatre originated from five different ancient traditionChinese theatre originated from five different ancient traditions s

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Mask Dance, or Mask Dance, or NuoNuo opera opera

Singing, dancing and opera performing with mask

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Variety show (hundred entertainment) Variety show (hundred entertainment)

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Puppetry Puppetry

funeral

wedding

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Shadow witch Shadow witch

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StoryStory--telling Performance recounting and singing telling Performance recounting and singing

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The Development of Chinese Theatre The Development of Chinese Theatre

Story Telling Variety ShowNuo (Masks) Puppetry Shadow

Variety Show in puppet

Story telling with puppetry & shadow

Nuo Theatre

Opera Puppet & Opera Shadow

Regional Nuo Opera

Regional Opera

Puppetry Opera

Shadow Opera

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The Birth of Modern Chinese Puppet and Shadow PuppetryThe Birth of Modern Chinese Puppet and Shadow Puppetry

After the Russian puppetry master Sergei Obrastzov’s visit to China and the cultural exchanges occurred in puppet and shadow puppet field which then took place in the 1950s, new puppet troupes were integrating modern theatre specialists, such as playwriters and directors with traditional artists sprang up in China.

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“New Traditional” opera of puppet and shadow were created, combing traditional local style with modern style which catered for the modern audiences quite well.

Elaborated New Traditional Opera Elaborated New Traditional Opera

“Hibiscus Fairy” by the Guangdong Puppet Troupe

“Monkey King” by China Puppet Troupe in Beijing

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Extracts of PlaysExtracts of PlaysAnother influential play of this period was initiated by Mr. Yang Sheng and Mr. Chen Nan Tian from Zhangzhou, Fujian, in which the extracts of plays (or zhezixi) was later modified and upgraded from a traditional glove puppet performance to an independent form.

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A new form of fairy tale drama was also created in the post 1950s period by the Hunan Puppet and Shadow Art Troupe under the leadership of Mr. Tianhan.

ChineseChinese--Featured Fairy Tale DramaFeatured Fairy Tale Drama

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ChildrenChildren’’s Play With Both Man and Puppets Play With Both Man and Puppet

A further development in puppetry came after the opening up and reforms in China in the 1980s, in which puppetry was influenced by Japanese Mask Fairy Tale Drama and the big cartoon puppet with mask.

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The latest developments in puppetry of course is, with moving with the times, that of harnessing the use of technology like ultra-light to the traditional puppet art form, and performances

Modernized PuppetModernized Puppet

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Social problemSocial problem

Leaving of old puppet and shadow artists vs. Shortage of young puppeteers

Fast changing environment as well as the preference of audiences vs. Slow pace in adaption of government policy

Puppet theatres mainly based in village vs.Resources centralized in big cities

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No advancement in traditional arts vs. No application of modern arts

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Problem among the artistsProblem among the artists

Lack of research in puppet and shadows vs. Fall behind in puppet and shadows education

One-way International exchange vs. Lack of regional communications

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New HopeNew Hope

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Educational bodies start to realize the educational function of puppets

Government pay attention to Intangible Heritage

China’s participation in International organizations

Metropolises are interested in organizing international puppet festivals

2012 Unima Congress will take place in Chengdu, China

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Puppetry in China has been a golden vein, like the dragon

It is the Culture and Heritage not just China but also the World

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The EndThe End